Crispin Blunt MP today took the Rail Minister, Claire Perry MP, to task for the ongoing performance problems with Southern Rail services on the Redhill and Reigate routes. He also demanded fair fares to rectify the historically higher fares passengers are paying for using services from Redhill, Reigate and other local stations.
Crispin Blunt said:
“Local commuters are suffering the double whammy of disproportionately more severe delays and of disproportionately higher fares.
“Delays are being unreasonable heaped on the Redhill line. No peak evening service from London Bridge to Redhill has arrived on time since last October. 10% of trains don’t run and only a third of peak time trains from London Bridge arrive within 5 minutes of schedule.
“Service cuts, chronic overcrowding, and appalling reliability has created significant discomfort and extended journey times, which is having a detrimental impact on commuters’ health and quality of life.
“I asked the Minister when a Remedial Plan will be agreed between Govia Thameslink and the Government which will include contractually binding improvement measures and the risk of penalties. I asked if the Minister will leave no options off the table, including termination of the franchise agreement.”
Under the terms of the Govia Thameslink management contract, the revenues from fares are collected by the Department for Transport. Mr Blunt therefore asked the Minister to use the powers she has to provide relief on fares, recommending the extension of Oyster Zone 6.
“I challenged the Minister to rectify the injustice in the fares structure, whereby passengers using Redhill, Reigate, Merstham, Earlswood and Salfords stations are paying higher fares than commuters slightly further up the line at Coulsdon South, but also higher than people buying tickets at Dorking, Oxted, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges and East Grinstead.
“The case that the Reigate, Redhill and District Users Association and I have made for the extension of Oyster Zone 6 is a logical and affordable way to simplify and reduce fares.
“The Minister told me that she will be launching a consultation in the near future to look at responsibilities between Transport for London and rail franchises in relation to suburban services in and around London.
“She said she is looking to introduce compensation payments from 15 minutes of delay, rather than at 30 minutes.”
“Surprisingly, the Minister also expressed confidence in Govia Thameslink’s management. That is not a confidence shared by my constituents and I”.
The debate can be watched at:
http://parliamentlive.tv/Commons Westminster Hall, 12 January, 11.00am